Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

Of all of the blog entries that I have struggled to get started, this is going to be the hardest.

Some of you know, while others do not, that a very dear friend of our family, Eric Davis, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday at 41 years of age. Only knowing the Davis family for 2 ½ years, our two families have grown to be very close friends.

From the very first time that I met Mr. Davis, I was both encouraged and intimidated by him at the same time.  I’ll never forget one night while I was going through my EMT class that I was invited over to their house for dinner and game night. We had met them six months prior, but I still didn’t know their family anywhere near the extent that I do now. Making the drive to their house, I was completely terrified! I wasn’t just going over by myself; I was going to the Davis’ by myself!

My fear of Mr. Davis very quickly turned into a great respect for him and his family. I am struggling to find the right words to tell you more, so I will use my fallback and put some pictures up here that will describe Mr. Davis to a tee.

Every year, he would organize a hiking/backpacking/camping trip with some of the families from church. He loved being outdoors in God’s creation…

It seemed like everywhere we went, he was standing with his back to a precipice taking a group shot. Like this one at Pinecrest Lake on Labor Day…

Or this one at the top of a mountain overlooking Yosemite…

I could never get him to switch from Nikon to Canon.

Every Sunday at church, I would see him holding his daughter all through service. This one obviously wasn’t taken at church though. He loved all of his kids dearly...

Mr. D had a goofy sense of humor. This one was taken during a downpour of hail near Tioga Pass on one of our camping trips…

He was rarely seen without some form of food or drink, yet he stayed skinnier than a beanpole…

And yes… he was fearless…

The most important thing though is that he raised a beautiful family with an eagerness to serve the Lord. Mission accomplished…

I am going to sorely miss Mr. Davis, and all of the joy that he brought, but it brings me great joy now to know that we are going to meet again someday. I sure hope he’s finding some great trails up there.

I love and will miss you Mr. D…